[kowalski]

Help, help, help! I just can't find out how much Lantus to inject and whether to inject it twice or once. I keep changing my routine and i'm all confused now. I was using Levimir for a while, that didn't work out.. Now back on the Lantus. I seem to be doing ok on 8u in the morning to get thru the day but if i inject 8u before bed i get a hypo in the middle of the night and if i inject 6u i wake up with a high blood sugar level. Can't inject it once coz it defintitely doesn't last 24 hours for me... *sigh*

Ps. Has anyone read this?

In My Opinion: There is No 24-Hour Basal Insulin - Diabetes Health

I recognise so much in this article, when i used to inject a big amount of lantus it did seem to last 24 hrs but kept getting hypo's so had to stop.

[grace girl]

What time are you taking the two injections? I had a very similar problem and I found that by taking the pm injection earlier I was able to increase the dose so that I didn't stay high. I didn't go low, either.
For example, I take my morning lantus at 9am. I take the pm dose at 6pm. When I took the pm dose at 9pm I had the exact same problem that you have.

I haven't read the article, but I don't think the problem is so much that there isn't a 24 hour basal insulin...I think the problem is that it isn't 24 hours for everyone who uses it, and people have varying basal needs that can't really be addressed with a flat-line basal. There are people here who get 24 hours out of lantus and it works great for them. There are plenty who don't, too.

[dbc]

I also split the lantus dose - 4U @ 7am, 5U@7pm (the evening dose varies quite a bit on a timescale of 2-3months, I find my morning fast bg levels drifting up or down and have to make small adjustments).

As Holly said, some folks have figured out they can't make do with a flat basal action through the day, & many have gone over to pumping where basal rates are much more flexible.

Assuming you're not in that category (yet??), how often are you changing your doses? Are you perhaps cganging doses to soon without seeing a definite drift in one direction or another?

You say you changed from 8U to 6U - have you tried 7U or do you have one of those horrible autopens than workjs in 2U increments? I've just recently changed to the solostar pen with 1U increments - so much better!

good luck, it'll come right with a bit of work!

[JJM335]

Have you tried 7 U? I found a big difference between 21U and 20 U (split twice daily). As suggested by dbc, if you are using the Autopen 24 ask your doctor to prescribe the Solostar disposable, it's much better than the Autopen. Another alternative is to try Levemir.

That having been said, if you are genuinely unable to avoid overnight hypos because you cannot get a stable basal using Lantus, you may be eligible for a pump. There is now a pump clinic in Glasgow - I am due to start pumping in July. If you want any more details feel free to send me a PM.

Joel

[kowalski]

Thanx for the replies I'll try injecting the pm dose earlier for a few days and see how that goes. Will let you know how i got on! I'll also ask my doctor for a pen which does 1 units so i can try 7u. I've actually been thinking about going on the pump, i didn't want to for years coz i thought i'd be able to get it sorted by just injecting but i keep having problems so it's definitely worth considering now...

[kowalski]

Ps. Joel where abouts in Scotland are you from?

[Ailsa]

Definately worth trying 7u
I find a big difference in 1u over 24hrs
You could use a needle & draw it up until you get a new pen

[Stuboy]

sounds like you need the green lantus pen, not the blue one, the green one does 1u doses, the blue does 2.

Try 7u at night. Perhaps try injecting it 12 hours apart, insteasd of whenever you go to bed. i inject 10am and 10pm.